Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays ALCS Game 2 Pick: The Tampa Bay Rays fell at home Friday to the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. The loss, makes today’s home game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., a must win for the Rays before the series moves north to Fenway Park in Boston for Monday’s Game 3. The Rays had defeated the Red Sox in 9-of-10 matchups at home during the regular season. For today’s game, the Ray’s bring out their ace left hander Scott Kazmir. Kazmir finished an injury plagued regular season at 12-8 with a 3.49 ERA. The Red Sox will counter with right hander Josh Beckett who was 12-10 with a 4.03 ERA.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook SBGglobal.com list this game as a PICK with a money line price of -110 on both teams. The total is posted at 8-runs.
Beckett wasn't particularly sharp in his Game 3 start in the ALDS, throwing 106 pitches over five innings and giving up nine hits and four runs. He'll have five days of rest for this start. Despite the struggles of his last start, Beckett's postseason track record (6-2, 2.09 ERA in 11 outings) speaks for itself. Beckett has made four career starts at Tropicana Field, going 1-2 with a 1.93 ERA. Beckett is no stranger to the Rays, having faced them five times in 2008. He was 2-1 with a 2.06 ERA in those outings.
Kazmir recorded the win that gave the Rays a 2-0 series lead over Chicago in the ALDS. The youngest member of the Rays rotation, Kazmir gave a gutsy performance, wriggling out of a 37-pitch first inning with two runs allowed. Two pitches into the game, Kazmir hit White Sox leadoff man Orlando Cabrera with a pitch and the southpaw followed with a walk to Nick Swisher. Chicago's Jermaine Dye added a single to load the bases, creating a daunting situation early. Kazmir said he was simply struggling with his location, and was economical enough in the following frames to exit with the lead after 5 1/3 innings. When he has command of his slider, Kazmir can be devastating. He is a career 6-7 against the Red Sox, with 3.62 ERA.
Daisuke Matsuzaka tossed a combined four-hit shutout as the Red Sox defeated the Rays 2-0 in Game 1 on Friday. The Red Sox won the game as +110 underdogs, while the two runs went UNDER the posted over/under (8).
Kevin Youkilis went 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI for the Red Sox. Jonathan Papelbon turned away the side in the ninth to earn the save.
James Shields gave up two runs off six hits over 7 1-3 innings in the loss for the Rays, who were a -130 favorite in that game.
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